Pop

The For All The Dogs buzz was as big as the Super Bowl. There was a rumored blockbuster appearance by Nicki Minaj. Lil Yachty championed Drake’s rapping, deeming it the best of his career. And, of course, the OVO demigod broke the 11th hip-hop commandment and pre-anointed his album a classic. Despite striking out on all three of those pre-release promises, The Boy still reminded us with Dogs why he remains music’s ultimate Goliath when battling half-pint mortals. Uncaged when in his R&B bag, Drake punctures hearts on the SZA-assisted “Slime You Out” while cutting his losses early on “Tried Our Best.” Even when paired with the youth (Yeat, Teezo Touchdown and Yachty), he camouflages himself and plays to his guests’ strengths, making them all standout features. And though signs of the 6 God’s lyrical supremacy are a little sparse on FATD, he loaded up on bars for the album’s Scary Hours deluxe reissue — proving why in the end, he’s still always worth the hype. — CARL LAMARRE

If the length seems intimidating — 41 songs and nearly four hours, enough to make YoungBoy Never Broke Again shrug “Okayyy, if you say so” — you’ll be shocked how little it matters once you get lost in the world of DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ’s hero’s journey. Structured like a near-continuous club set, the album’s mix of euphoric house with familiar-feeling pop-rock hooks and tip-of-the-tongue samples that seem more recognizable than they are makes Destiny the perfect soundtrack for any activity without an obvious endpoint. It’s equally adept at holding your attention when given and receding helpfully into the background when needed, and just when you think you’ve got it figured, it smacks you sideways with a perfect pop song like “Figuring It Out.” A decade into the streaming age, Destiny presents a brilliant argument that if an album is truly transportive, you won’t care how long the trip takes. — ANDREW UNTERBERGER

The best trolls are the self-aware trolls. With Scaring the Hoes – an exquisite encapsulation of the wonders of organized chaos – Danny Brown & JPEGMAFIA reign as the two popes of trolling. Both artists know how to make easily digestible, straightforward hip-hop songs, but they also know there’s more fun to be had elsewhere, spending Scaring the Hoes figuring out every possible way to subvert expectations of a contemporary rap record. They open the album with a spoken middle finger to Elon Musk, revel in gospel-backed heathenism on “God Loves You,” and line Diddy’s forever-smooth “I Need a Girl” with sandpaper, making for the addictively gritty “Lean Beef Patty.” In their quest to turn chaos into beauty, the duo craft mind-bending combinations of Y2K pop, trap, classic soul, and horrorcore, coming out of this collaborative album as two of hip-hop’s most fascinating alchemists. — KYLE DENIS

The arguably overdue best new artist nomination The War and Treaty received for the upcoming Grammys has powerfully boosted the profile of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, whose breakthrough fourth album “Lover’s Game,” produced by Dave Cobb, showcases the mighty vocals of this veteran husband-and-wife duo. On “That’s How Love Is Made,” which they performed at this year’s CMA Awards, a piano and organ intro leads into Michael’s wavering soulful opening lines, joined by Tanya’s scorching harmonies. The gospel-inspired combination of their voices, like throughout all of “Lover’s Game,” is simply transcendent. — THOM DUFFY

With the aptly titled opening “Dreamer,” it only takes a few seconds of lush harmonies for Laufey (pronounced Lay-vay) to whisk you into the dreamland of her Bewitched. The starry, pop-tinged sophomore album from TikTok’s favorite new jazz singer-songwriter entrances “From the Start” (the title of its viral bossa nova-inspired lead single) to the finish, telling relatable tales of fate and love, both mutual and unrequited — further punctuated by a timeless voice reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday. Making jazz more accessible to a new generation, we’re still under her spell. — DANIELLE PASCUAL

From one angle, 100 Gecs’ second full-length could be absorbed as a series of genre exercises, including intensely committed and impressively convincing riffs on nu metal (“Billy Knows Jamie”) and ska-punk (“I Got My Tooth Removed”); from another, 10,000 Gecs could be taken as a 10-song troll job, with Laura Les and Dylan Brady cashing in their goodwill from music critics to write songs about dancing frogs and Doritos. Yet even the goofiest bits of 10,000 Gecs are defined by the duo’s fierce adoration of pop music and its many forms — and 100 Gecs’ skill as hook savants matches their gonzo ideas at every step. — JASON LIPSHUTZ

On her first album since 2016 (and first LP with the Johnsons since 2010), the reliably unpredictable Anohni draws on the smoky, hushed vocal tones of Nina Simone and delivers a similarly pessimistic, world-weary take on the state of her mind and the world. The vintage soul, augmented by brush-stroke percussion and strummy cabaret guitars, is a warm, inviting counterpart to the disappointment, frustration and pain that resonates in Anohni’s voice, as she eyes the dim future of earth’s environment and copes with the brutal gut-punch of loss. “I don’t want you to be dead,” she repeats on “Can’t,” and you can only hope that her pain finds a sliver of release in the slow-building jazz-soul catharsis offered by the Johnsons. — JOE LYNCH

Metro Boomin’s music has always felt like it belongs in a movie, with its vivid string arrangements, menacing synths, dramatic drums and classic soul samples. So it was perfect synergy when Sony Pictures Animation tapped him to executive produce the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack. By calling on his web of all-star collaborators – including Don Toliver, Nas, Lil Wayne, Offset, and Swae Lee – the super-producer delivered a lush mix of hip-hop, pop, Latin and Afrobeats that honored the film’s hero Miles Morales’ African American and Puerto Rican heritage and unlocked different dimensions of Metro’s artistry. — HERAN MAMO

Coming off a debut album (2021’s Collapsed in Sunbeams) that received the highly coveted Mercury Prize for the best album of the year, Arlo Parks could have easily stumbled into the sophomore slump with My Soft Machine. But Parks doesn’t miss a beat: While Machine deviates in sound from its predecessor with tracks like the hard-rocking “Devotion” and the dance floor-ready “Blades,” the singer-songwriter still delivers her poetically complex lyrics on subjects like love, abuse and mental health. In signature Parks fashion, her airy vocals float over minimalist lyrics that deliver the most meaning (“You’re the rainbow in my soap/ You notice beauty in more forms than most”) on tracks like “Impurities.” — TAYLOR MIMS

On her seventh album in 11 years, Mitski turns down the decibels and ditches the retro synths of last year’s Laurel Hell, turning instead to the gentle strength of lush, twangy Nashville productions from the ‘60s. Improbably, this sonic switch gave the singer-songwriter her first top 40 Hot 100 hit, “My Love Is Mine All Mine,” which has topped the TikTok Billboard Top 50 for six weeks so far. An introspective-yet-expansive LP that touches on love, friendships and the way we cognate, it’s less lovelorn and more life-lorn – but Mitski’s unfailing melodicism makes this inhospitable land rather inviting after all. — J. Lynch

If there’s one thing to take away from the rise of St. Louis native Sexyy Red, it’s that being yourself pays dividends. Hood Hottest Princess features a handful of tracks that each had their own viral moment — including standouts “SkeeYee,” “Hellcats SRTs,” “Looking for the Hoes (Ain’t My Fault),” and a remix of breakout hit “Pound Town” with Nicki Minaj — all of which feel quintessentially Red. Her infectious energy and witty bars mixed with Tay Keith’s classic southern trap production delivered a dose of nostalgia and sheer unbridled fun that hip-hop fans have been searching for since the end of the mixtape era.  — QUINCY GREEN

Before all the accolades — the Grammy nominations, the Headies Awards, the festival slots and the international tours — there was the music, and what Davido achieves on Timeless truly lives up to his acclaim. Whether it’s joyous love songs like “In the Garden” with Morravey, amapiano duets like the Asake-assisted “No Competition,” driving dance hits like “Kante” with Fave or Highlife odes to luxury like “Na Money” with The Cavemen and Angélique Kidjo — not to mention the crown jewel of the project, the Musa Keys collab “Unavailable” — Davido delivers one of the best bodies of work from this past year, and certainly the best of his career. Simply put, Timeless is a triumph, and a landmark album in the global explosion of Afrobeats. — DAN RYS

A whole 13 tracks and 34 minutes: Who does PinkPantheress think she is, Billy Corgan? Official debut album Heaven Knows may be slightly more fleshed out than the rapid-fire garage-pop of 2021’s sweetly desperate To Hell With It, but the set proves that Pink can be just as compelling when her songs are given room to expand before dissolving, as when the sighing acoustic pop-rock of “True Romance” kicks into drum-n-bass overdrive or the hip-swaying strut of the conflicted “The Aisle” into a double-time disco frenzy on the chorus. And just in case you forgot, the Ice Spice-featuring “Boys a Liar Pt. 2” is here at the very end, reminding us that Pink can play the conventional pop superstar whenever she’s so inclined as well. — A.U.

After a critically acclaimed debut album and a commercially successful follow-up, Brent Faiyaz could have ostensibly made anything with anyone. For his first mixtape, he decided to gather a few of his close friends and collaborators, pair them with a few of his idols, and create something that pays homage to the era of music he enjoyed during his formative years. So instead of tapping the Neptunes and Timbaland, he had his Sonder co-founder D-Pat cook up beats that would have sounded right at home on early Aaliyah (“Tim’s Intro”) or Justin Timberlake (“Best Time”) albums. And the songwriting features Brent at his raconteur best, spinning toxic tales of lessons not learned (“WY@”) and late night/early morning lustiness (“Moment of Your Life”). It’s an intoxicating, immensely listenable project — which at just 36 minutes, leaves you eager to hear what he does for his next proper album. — DAMIEN SCOTT

Through all the phases of his career — his early Grammy-winning work with OutKast; the Pledge series that established him as a prominent voice in his own right; the collaborations with El-P that resulted in the widely celebrated Run The Jewels album series — Killer Mike has always stayed true to himself, articulating what’s on his mind in a clearer way than almost any of his contemporaries and generally maintaining his status as a pillar in an ever-changing storm. To that end, the deeply personal and autobiographical Michael — his first solo album in 11 years — feels like a culmination, a triumph that (with help from beloved veteran producer No I.D.) weaves together all the pieces of his journey into a singular statement. It’s fitting that it has been rewarded with Mike’s highest Billboard 200 ranking in 20 years — as well as a return to the Grammy arena, with the rapper landing a trio of nominations. — D.R.

A change is often as good as a rest, and Janelle Monáe certainly opted for the former with her luscious fourth studio album The Age of Pleasure. Gone are the sci-fi parables of society’s injustices that populated 2017’s Dirty Computer, now replaced by a 14-track tour through the thrills of ecstasy. Fusing together Afrobeats and reggae to create a utopian pan-African sound, Monáe celebrates her culture, her success, and most of all her own sexual freedom on this breezy 32-minute ode to unadulterated joy. — STEPHEN DAW

My 21^st Century Blues is the album Raye has been working towards her entire life. After years of cutting her teeth as a dance-pop topliner and fighting for freedom from a restrictive major label deal, Raye released her debut LP independently and held nothing back. “After years and fears and smiling through my tears/ All I ask of you is open your ears/ Cause the truth ain’t pretty my dear,” she warns in the opening lines of “Hard Out Here.” before unleashing her unfiltered takes on “white men CEOs,” “lawyers” and later, in confessional ballad “Ice Cream Man,” even predatory producers. Her lyrics are shockingly bare and conversational, sung with a percussive rhythm and a grit that echoes Amy Winehouse, while remaining one of the most singular voices of today. Blues‘ zenith is the maximalist “Escapism,” about a self-destructive night out — but even when Raye is honest about her missteps, it is clear that My 21st Century Blues is first and foremost a story of resiliency. — KRISTIN ROBINSON

Amidst a RICO case that has spanned multiple years and has jeopardized YSL’s footing in modern hip-hop, Gunna has stayed steady as ever, collecting the biggest solo hit of his career with “Fukumean” and calmly bodying a new smattering of zonked-out beats on its host album, A Gift & a Curse. The follow-up to last year’s commercial breakthrough DS4Ever is more contemplative amidst the rapper’s real-life drama — “Bread & Butter” strikes a defensive, downright haunted tone — but Gunna moves nimbly, avoids becoming bogged down with heavy themes and once again dominates within his lane. — J. Lipshutz

Nearly two hours long, One Thing at a Time stretches and sprawls every which way. The highs are high: Take the title track, such a pure bolt of guitar pop that it’s baffling that another song from the album, “Last Night,” became the top 40 hit instead. “You Proof” comes on the same way, with cheerful licks and snapping fingers, but this time it’s a feint, and the chorus transforms into bouncy country rap. “I Wrote the Book” is somehow chest-thumping and chastened at the same time, as a world-class s–t-talker admits he’s got a few failings as well. There are 33 more songs to get through here, and not all of them are as riveting. But One Thing at a Time is a formidable demonstration of Wallen’s range and ear. — ELIAS LEIGHT

The debut album from Peru-born, Berlin-based electronic producer Sofia Kourtesis is a collage of sounds from her global travels rendered in cerebral house beats. The depth and meaning embedded in Madres is revealed by the people it’s dedicated to: Kourtesis’ mother and neurosurgeon Peter Vajkoczy. Kourtesis reached out to the doctor saying she’d name a track on the album after him in exchange for a consultation with her sick mom. He responded, later performing an operation that saved the elder Kourtesis’ life. The ebullient “Vajkoczy” exists amid 10 other productions that weave delicacy, femininity and introspection together with a brightness and warmth that evokes the richness and beauty of life itself. — KATIE BAIN

Carin Leon’s Colmillo de Leche is a heartfelt tribute to Mexican singer-songwriter’s love for music and his roots — 95% of the musicians on this record are Sonorans, and those who are not live in Hermosillo Leon, the singer’s hometown — which earned him a Latin Grammy for best norteño music album in November. The set is a testament to his musical versatility, as it smoothly blends genres like soul, flamenco, pop and salsa with more traditional regional Mexican sounds and Carin’s exquisite vocals. Colmillo showcases Leon’s distinctive style of carrying melodies through different sounds as he effortlessly conveys a wide range of emotions, from heartbreak and love to joy and longing. — INGRID FAJARDO

After a string of major cosigns from the likes of Drake and Tyler, the Creator, the highly anticipated release of Teezo Touchdown’s debut album How Do You Sleep At Night? was a breath of fresh air this year. Touchdown’s deceptively simple lyricism shines in innocent and tender moments like “Sweet” featuring Fousheé as well as the more personal and self-critical moments on “Familiarity” and “Daddy Mama Drama.” The rising artist takes listeners on a sonic journey as he constantly bounces between rock, R&B, and indie-pop sounds with a youthful vibrancy that make his ups-and-downs feel thrillingly raw. — MEGHAN MAHAR

In this stunning, raw breakthrough LP, newly minted country star Jelly Roll sings of his search for refuge and redemption in a world where there are more sinners than saints and hell often feels a lot closer than heaven. The songs are gritty, raw, gut-wrenching and by turns ugly and brutally beautiful in their honesty, such as when he sings on “Save Me” (with Lainey Wilson), “I’m a lost cause… I’m so damaged beyond repair” or of course when he confesses on the album’s smash hit lead single, “I only talk to God when I need a favor.” — MELINDA NEWMAN

An amalgamation of Dante’s Inferno, critiques on environmental policy and tales of Irish history sounds more like a liberal arts college curriculum than one of the most stunning albums of the year – but this is Hozier we’re talking about. A decade removed from the heart-wrenching wails of “Take Me to Church,” the singer-songwriter mines that track’s seamless conflation of lust, religion and romance for what just might be his strongest album yet. Whether he’s reaching for gospel influences on the transcendent “All Things End” or singing of the lengths he will go to for his love on the rollicking “De Selby, Pt. 2,” Hozier’s malleable voice – he scales the entirety of his sprawling range – is the centerpiece of Unreal Unearth, completely embodying the rotating cast of characters that anchor his explorations of sin, ultimately placing himself in an epic of his own creation. — K.D.

While “desire” can function as a noun or a verb, Caroline Polachek delivers the word in its most active form on her sophomore solo album. A deep wanting — of experience, of solace, of love — is palpable across the project, and particularly on standouts like “Welcome to My Mind,” “Crude Drawing of an Angel” and “Blood and Butter.” The tight, 12-track collection plays with various forms of instrumentation — crisp electronics on “Fly to You,” bagpipes on “Blood” — maintaining a cerebral inventiveness and a pristine, shining quality throughout. But nothing here shines brighter (or satisfies more) than Polachek’s own exquisite voice. — K.B.

Four singles preceded the debut album from The xx vocalist Romy – and each proved increasingly enticing and hype-building for Mid Air. (Each also featured work from Grammy-nominated breakout producer Fred Again…, whose fingerprints are all over the prismatic album.) The full album more than lived up to the anticipation: Steeped in personal storylines, best heard on the tender “Loveher” and sinewy “The Sea,” Mid Air captures that stomach-plunge feeling of catching a high while anticipating the unavoidable come-down. Yet, for a blissful 34 minutes, Romy lets listeners exist in that crevice, as if each beat helps them float a little while longer. — LYNDSEY HAVENS

Gracie Abrams kept fans waiting for years after her 2019 debut singles before she finally released her first proper LP, but ultimately proved that the best things take time when her gorgeous, Aaron Dessner-produced songwriting feat dropped in February. Though the album is highly indie-leaning, contrasting towering revelations about young adulthood with whispered vocals and even softer instrumentation, Good Riddance was the project that officially propelled Abrams into the mainstream — as she ends 2023 a best new artist Grammy nominee who’s both close friends and tourmates with Taylor Swift. — HANNAH DAILEY

The Mexican American group scored their sixth Regional Mexican Albums leader with Desvelado, a stunning guitar-driven production led by Eslabon frontman Pedro Tovar. With power collabs like “Ella Baila Sola” with Peso Pluma (one of the best Latin songs of 2023), the norteña-tinged cumbia “Quédate Conmigo” with Grupo Frontera and the cathartic sad sierreño “Me Decepcionaste” with DannyLux,  the 16-track sierreño set is home to Eslabon’s best songs yet. Desvelado thrives on Tovar’s ability to adapt the legacy genre to Gen Z, with super-modern lyrics about love and heartbreak. — GRISELDA FLORES

Sufjan Stevens’ Javelin will likely be forever associated with his devastating Instagram post on its release day, in which the singer-songwriter publicly came out and dedicated the album to his “beloved” late partner. The lyrics carry enormous weight within that heartbreaking context — particularly those of the towering “Shit Talk,” in which petty squabbles are squashed with dueling refrains of “Hold me closely” and “I will always love you.” But Javelin also doubles as Stevens’ most complete synthesis yet of his hushed folk songwriting with his frequent electro-pop wanderings, the two halves of his artistry interlocking beautifully. — J. Lipshutz

Calling Travis Scott’s UTOPIA anticipated would be an understatement: Not only did it mark the follow-up to his critically acclaimed ASTROWORLD album, but it served as the first project since the tragedy at his Astroworld festival in 2021. Clocking in at 73 minutes, the 19-track project nods to former mentor Kanye West, yet shape-shifts well beyond his psychedelic trap past by delving into ambient pop, cinematic synths and more new sounds for the star rapper-producer. With colossal production and an intentional guest roster (Beyoncé, Bad Bunny and even Scott’s daughter Stormi Webster), the album stays true to Scott’s instincts, while also allowing him to swim in uncharted waters. — JAMES DINH

The most brilliantly marketed movie of the 2020s couldn’t have truly maximized its cultural potential without a can’t-miss soundtrack to accompany it. And thanks to an all-star team both behind the scenes (Mark Ronson, George Drakoulias, director Greta Gerwig as executive producer) and on the mic (Dua Lipa, Karol G, Sam Smith, Lizzo), Barbie the Album became a phenomenon in its own right, spawning three top 20 Hot 100 hits and even getting star Ryan Gosling onto the chart for the first time. It works because everyone involved seems inspired by the film to just sound more like themselves: “Speed Drive” feels like a song Charli XCX had kicked around for a decade before finding the missing piece, Billie Eilish has admitted the dollhouse perspective of “What Was I Made For?” lifted her out of a creative rut, and “Barbie World”… kinda shocking Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice hadn’t gotten there already, really. — A.U.

This may have been a year filled with sad songs, but with her succinct, six-song set, Kelsea Ballerini released a true salve for the brokenhearted as she chronicled her own complex emotions swirling around the dissolution of her previous marriage. “Just Married” recognizes emotional disconnection, while the piercing “Interlude” takes aim at the intense public scrutiny that comes with celebrity divorces, and closer “Leave Me Again” offers up an empowering, soul-mending reconnection to self. With glossy, warm instrumentation, co-helmed with producer Alysa Vanderheym. Ballerini constructed her strongest song cycle to date. — JESSICA NICHOLSON

Ice Spice’s grand debut into the rap and pop spheres with her set Like..? — first released in January as an EP, then fleshed out in subsequent reissues to something closer to an album — marked both an introduction to one of rap’s mot exciting new MCs, and a lesson in new slang (“munch,” “baddie friend”) that was integrated into the pop culture lexicon almost instantly. Spawning hits like “In Ha Mood,” “Princess Diana” and the deluxe edition’s “Deli,” Like..? cements Ice’s “princess of rap” status through her down-to-earth tone, as she effortlessly takes down haters and spits out memorable one-liners that stay with you well past your first listen. — RYLEE JOHNSTON

Rich in themes of pleasure, wealth and the artist’s love for Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny’s Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana is a triumphant homecoming. Navigating his ever-growing fame with nonchalance and bold sensuality, Bunny returns to his Latin trap roots over the majority of the set’s 22 tracks, produced by MAG, Tainy and La Paciencia. The haunting elegance of “Nadie Sabe,” with its brooding symphony and otherworldly choruses, sets the album’s introspective tone, while the now-iconic moody violin and piano sample in “Monaco” drawn from from Charles Aznavour’s 1964 song “Hier Encore,” adds depth. Standout “Acho PR,” featuring De La Ghetto, Arcángel, and Ñengo Flow, pays homage to Puerto Rico’s vibrant barrio life. Nadie captures Bunny’s nuanced reflection on fame, intertwined with self-mythology, all delivered with his signature attitude and flair. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Endless Summer Vacation marked one of the year’s finest pop comebacks, with the bold and sonically striking set becoming Miley Cyrus’ first album to land a Grammy nod for album of the year, and her first since Bangerz to spawn a Hot 100-topping single (the instantly viral “Flowers”). Back when she was a teen Disney star, few would have bet on Cyrus to be making this kind of creative and commercial breakthrough in her 30s, but she’s developed a distinctive, throaty vocal style, and has long demonstrated that she has loads of artistic courage. Everybody’s betting on her now. – PAUL GREIN 

Kelela’s sophomore album is largely stocked with club music that already sounds like a distant memory of itself — hazy, dreamlike and at risk of dissolving at any given moment. It’s physical, but not necessarily visceral: Rather, it’s dance music as envisioned by folks who’d otherwise be listening to 4AD records, concerned with texture, atmosphere and feeling over hooks, rhythm and energy. It works both due to the singer-songwriter’s Sade-like mastery of mood and ambiance, and the cohesive production from Kelela and a variety of collaborators (Yo Van Lenz, LSDXOXO Asmara), who keep the sonics warm and enveloping, with just enough thump to keep you from ever drifting off altogether. — A.U.

Powerhouse duo Kaytraminé (beloved producer-DJ Kaytranada and hitmaking rapper Aminé) signaled the start of summer in late May with the release of their self-titled album. Featuring tropical influences and plush, Pharrell-honoring beats, the project offers something for every warm-weather mood, from the slow saunter of “Rebuke” to the dancefloor-ready Afrobeats of “Sossasup.” Kaytranada’s signature production transcends genre barriers, laying the foundation for Aminé’s masterful flows — and if the pair alone isn’t compelling enough for you, the list of featured artists also includes such welcome heavy-hitters as Freddie Gibbs, Amaarae and Snoop Dogg. — M.M.

Rising pop hero Chappell Roan’s debut album so deftly delivers a bevy of pulsating, dance-ready tracks from the jump that it’s easy to forget about the number of longtime fan favorite singles (“Pink Pony Club,” “Naked in Manhattan”) that await in the depths of its tracklist. Roan is deeply vulnerable in her storytelling as she details her experiences in the LGBTQ+ community — but with some production help from Dan Nigro (Olivia Rodrigo, Conan Gray, Caroline Polachek), she turns it all into a celebration. As she told Billboard earlier this year, “That’s what queerness feels like: It is a party.” — JOSH GLICKSMAN

Paramore might have shed its pop-punk skin years ago, but the rock trio never lost its ability to make sharp, energetic, hook-laden hits, as shown on the band’s sixth album, This Is Why. Taylor York’s jittery guitar and Zac Farro’s propulsive drums drive the 10 tracks, while Hayley Williams peers out from her bunker and anxiously assesses the state of the world: “Shut your eyes, but it won’t go away/ Turn on, turn off the news,” she speak-sings on “The News,” while letting her elastic vocal stretch around the words, “Everyone is a bad guy,” on “You First.” Williams shakes her agitation on the wistful “Crave,” allowing herself a moment of nostalgia for times gone by: “What if I told ‘em that now that I’m older/ There isn’t a moment that I’d wanna change?” It’s a big admission from the frontwoman after nearly 20 largely turbulent years. — CHRISTINE WERTHMAN

Following the global smash hit “Ella Baila Sola,” Peso Pluma was already a household name when he dropped Génesis over the summer. But the set exceeded expectations, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 — the highest rank ever for a música Mexicana album — and placing a historic 25 simultaneous titles on the Hot Latin Songs chart in July, breaking Bad Bunny’s record of 24. The 14-track LP thrives on (and expands) the Mexican singer-songwriter’s core sound, punctuated by a trombone and tololoche, with standout songs such as the dreamy ballad “Lagunas” with Jasiel Nuñez, the braggy corrido “Lady Gaga” with Junior H and Gabito Ballesteros, and the attitude-heavy “Rubicon.” — G.F.

“Don’t have to use your own tears just to grow your own roots,” Reneé Rapp sings in a line on Snow Angel‘s penultimate track “Willow” that’s arguably the heart of her debut album. The former Broadway star-turned-rising pop sensation invites listeners on a road trip of self-reflection over the course of the breakthrough effort — navigating love, spite, grief and joy in just 12 tracks. Balancing cathartic power ballads (the title track) with musings on her most intrusive thoughts (“Poison Poison”), the 23-year-old showcases her versatility as a songwriter without dulling the powerhouse vocals that initially broke her through. — D.P.

Though the title would go on to inspire many jokes about its lengthiness, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd is a massive creative triumph for one Elizabeth Grant. She and superproducer Jack Antonoff hit their stride as partners on this Grammy AOTY-nominated project, with the alt-pop titan mustering some of her most vulnerable and thoughtful lyrics ever while somehow managing to maintain her trademark campiness throughout (see: that perplexing four-minute spoken interlude from pastor Judah Smith). While her earlier work gives way to more dramatic proclamations and aesthetics, Ocean Blvd takes a softer, more introspective approach to Lana’s longtime muse — Americana — that’s achingly feminine, full of yearning, and underscored by clever references to male figureheads such as Leonard Cohen, John Denver and Bob Dylan. — H.D.

As expansive as his acclaimed, 83-second 2022 loosie “Poland” was brief, Lil Yachty similarly challenged perceptions about his music’s boundaries with his ambitious fifth studio album Let’s Start Here. “I wanted to show people a different side of me – and that I can do anything,” the onetime mumble rapper told Billboard of his hour-long psych-rock tome, which features contributions from Mac DeMarco, Nick Hakim, Alex G and members of MGMT, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Chairlift, and sounds like David Gilmour got his hands on Auto-Tune in Pink Floyd’s early ’70s heyday. But don’t let flashy psychedelic statements like epic opener “The Black Seminole” obscure that Yachty’s remarkable melodic sense is also on display here, as captured on tracks like the brilliantly funky “Running Out of Time.” — ERIC RENNER BROWN

Doja Cat flips back into full-fledged rapper mode for her fourth album Scarlet. Darker in mood than her prior albums, Scarlet features a more assured Doja on tracks like the Grammy-nominated “Attention,” where she raps against a ‘90s-vibed track as she frankly addresses the criticism that has marked her career (“Talk your s–t about me/ I can easily disprove it, it’s stupid/ You follow me, but you don’t really care about the music”). Meanwhile, the melodic “Paint the Town Red,” which samples Dionne Warwick’s “Walk on By,” became Doja’s first solo song to top the Hot 100. Ever since going viral in 2018 with the comedic “Mooo!,” Doja Cat has made it her mission to prove she’s not a one-trick kitty — and the claws-out Scarlet should persuade anyone who still needs convincing. — GAIL MITCHELL

Karol G made history by becoming the first woman (and only second artist ever, after Bad Bunny) to top the Billboard 200 with an all-Spanish album with this February’s Mañana Será Bonito. But despite including “TQG,” her much-vaunted collaboration with fellow scorned-ex Shakira, do not for a second think this album is born out of vengeance or heartache. Instead, Mañana (whose title literally translates to “Tomorrow Will Be Pretty”) was a snapshot of Karol G’s self-described “authentic” moment of today — full of smash hits, like 2022’s lilting ode to female freedom, “Provenza,” but also a cadre of surprises, including the beautiful title track, which unexpectedly features the soulful indie pop-rocker Carla Morrison over a gentle reggaetón groove, and the very sexy “X Si Volvemos” with Romeo Santos. Definitely her defining opus to date, Mañana Será Bonito covered the many sides of Karol G with a bold reggaetón and electronic palette and immediately relatable-yet-sophisticated lyrics. — LEILA COBO

A successful sequel should substantially expand the universe of the original while standing as a formidable entity in its own right. Jaguar II does just that: Victoria Monét’s Grammy-nominated debut studio album is a lush collection of some of the finest songs contemporary R&B has to offer. Musical mastermind D’Mile assists the acclaimed multi-hyphenate in carefully threading together a cohesive project out of their voyage through reggae (“Party Girls”), ‘00s southern hip-hop (“On My Mama”) and house (“Alright”). Expertly engineered and perfectly sequenced, Jaguar II lifts Monét’s world-building to new heights — from a real jaguar growl heralding the close of “Alright” to the sweeping orchestration of “How Does It Make You Feel,” it’s all about the small details, making for an intimate and immersive experience that demands your undivided attention. But it’s not like you have much of a choice anyway when a voice as honeyed as Monét’s is cooing sweet melodies of lustful introspection into your ear. — K.D.

Zach Bryan’s follow-up to last year’s acclaimed American Heartbreak is a reflective, often somber affair that highlights his unflinchingly honest melange of rock, country and folk. Somehow, even when he’s collaborating here, his raspy, unpretentious vocals convey a sense of lonely yearning, especially on “I Remember Everything,” an understated, yet aching tale of destroyed love featuring Kacey Musgraves or on his pairing with The War and Treaty on “Hey Driver.” Happily, he finds some sense of redemption in his lover’s eyes in a lilting duet with Sierra Ferrell on “Holy Roller.” Despite its more unassuming qualities, the self-titled set was rewarded with a blockbuster reception even beyond Bryan’s 2022 breakthrough, including his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and a Grammy nomination for best country album — M.N.

Troye Sivan fans who have long been hungry for the Aussie singer-songwriter to hit the dancefloor with complete abandon got their wish fulfilled (and then some) on Something to Give Each Other. From the intoxicating, thumping blast of house-pop on “Rush” to the “Shooting Stars”-sampling seduction via “Got Me Started,” the album is a sensual, four-on-the-floor feast. But perhaps the truest highlight is the libidinous, woozy “One of Your Girls,” where Sivan puts his heart and body on the line for a bi-curious-on-the-DL Adonis. His gentle yet insistent delivery is sweet, aching and vulnerable, evoking the brief bliss of an intense fling with an expiration date – and not unlike some of those hidden hook-ups, it’s over all too fast in just three minutes. — J. Lynch

In the opening lines of Boygenius’ first studio album the record, the indie-rock supertrio ponders “who would I be without you, without them?” in perfect three-part harmony. It’s a question that comes to define the record — an album by close friends Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus – over its proceeding 12 tracks. The LP features incisive lyrics about heartbreak and personal growth, particularly in highlights like “$20” and “Emily I’m Sorry,” but perhaps even more integral to its success, the record radiates the trust and kinship the members have with each other. A career high point for three already highly acclaimed singer-songwriters, the record is now also one of the most celebrated albums at this year’s Grammys, with six total nominations, including album of the year. — K.R.

Olivia Rodrigo is growing up before our eyes. On her record-breaking, star-making debut album, Sour, Rodrigo captured the naivete that comes with teenage heartbreak — but on Guts, she knows better and, in fact, she’s pissed off about life, love and how she’s been treated. Over crunching ’90s alt-rock guitar (and/or melodramatic ’00s pop/rock piano), the 20-year-old extends a big middle finger to those that use her for clout (“Vampire”), the girl who lives rent-free in her head (“Lacy”), double standards in American culture (“All-American Bitch”) and even her own cringe-worthy moments (“Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl”). And while she’s more mature now, she still makes the same mistakes every young person must make – like hooking up with an ex in “Bad Idea Right?” or letting her more lustful and vengeful impulses get the better of her in the retribution/reunion fantasy “Get Him Back!”

As expected, the album skyrocketed to the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart upon its release, solidifying Rodrigo’s place as Gen-Z’s premier storyteller. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t always be your teenage dream,” she laments on the album’s closing ballad, titled after a Katy Perry classic that took a much more idealized view of youth and young love than Guts displays. And while Rodrigo is apologizing for missing the mark on being the picture-perfect model of a teen pop star, she captures what growing up really feels like: Young people are angsty, they’re complicated, they’re emotional, they have an attitude — and despite it all, they have a ton of fun. If that’s not the real teenage dream, we don’t know what is. — RANIA ANIFTOS